Producer Eric Dobbe
ProducerForum Replies Created
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That’s a great article Mark. I totally agree that it is a delicate time of the year with grazing management. The way I tackle this period is by focusing on the grass first, soil second and animal requirements third – the animals are doing well without too much of our influence! My aim is to prolong the growing potential of our pasture and promote strategic seed set. I plan to graze plants that are fully recovered and that have strong and deep roots (so far this spring that has meant a minimum of 70 days). I also remain very adaptive with my decision making to graze different pastures and what residual I aim for based on what the season and plant growth stages are telling me. Essentially, I am still aiming for a high utilisation of up around 70%. I achieve this with a high stocking rate (over 100 cows/ha) and daily moves. This results in non selective grazing and ensures that some of the poorer species like silver grass, brome grass, Wimmera ryegrass and cape weed are still consumed. The net benefit is that we maintain a high leaf to stem ratio (actively growing) with the more desirable species and cultivars like clover and long season rye grasses growing back the most vigorously after the graze. In my context, I am not conserving fodder in a bale, however, I do set significant area aside to run up to peak biomass and then seed set. This stock pile is managed in the non growing season, when I shift my priority back to soil above grass. The aim then is maintaining ground cover whilst maintaining animal body condition.
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Great photo’s Kate.
it doesn’t appear that your sheep are suffering from lack of nutrition 🤠
Our cool season grasses are typically high in ME and protein but can lack the fibre, hence the scouring – particularly early winter when there is a high leaf to stem ratio with our annual plants. Grazing lower will increase the fibre better than grazing just the tops of the leaves. So in short no animal production loss by going to golf ball height. I would suggest it is more beneficial. Remember, overgrazing is not how low you graze, but it’s when you graze the unrecovered plant ( come back to soon).
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Hi Will,
have you done a soil test of the affected area? My experience has been that Guildford bulb will favour three things. Low pH soils, low Phosphorous levels and to some degree soil compaction.
i have had really good success by lifting pH to over 5 in CaCl and addressing P levels according to soil test recommendations.
cheers
Eric
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Hi Kate,
We have just enough moisture to keep most annuals alive but not really growing much – it’s been a tough couple of weeks watching a good germination thin out and wilt. We are still waiting for another good 10ml + rain event to wet up the root zone! Maybe tonight/tomorrow! Cows are still in a sacrifice paddock here. I don’t want to start grazing till I am confident I won’t have to hold them up again. We are a while off calving (August) so time is on my side. I did a blood test on cows and weaners which told me I’m a bit low on copper, so addressing that in the animal and will add cu to foliage spaying.
I will be seeding 20 ha of cover crops starting tomorrow which hopefully I can leave ungrazed all season.
All the best with the grazing Kate!
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I have quite high leaf to stem ratio, even with the longer recovery periods. The cow pats are telling me that I am still a little low on fibre at the moment! This will change as we get towards senescence, but that will be a while off here.
the question about cows vs sheep: I’m not sure on the answer to that, but I do like the way cattle impact our pasture. I think they are better employees than sheep and quite a bit less maintenance!
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Thanks for your comprehensive reply Mark. Tissue tests I did on some yellowing oats showed I had the usual suspects of mg and mn deficiency, but also had low calcium. I have applied a foliar to address this now, so will see what happens. I like your comment about the importance of getting calcium addressed in the soil rather the plant. I am seeing some good pH soils still low in available Ca, so still a bit to unpack there with biology!
Bring on Spring!
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That’s sensational Mark! A true testament to your recommendations. A great benchmark for us all!
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I am familiar with your trial site Justin. We are running 8 identical trials in other catchments…
Last year H2O was the most limiting factor . The N plots also had all other nutrients applied so it will be interesting to see if the Guildford bulb remains a dominant species in the composition!
your site also has a pH over 5 so that should help with the nutrient cycling!
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Hi Kate, what a difference 2 weeks have made! We have a nice mix of rain and sunny days, bit warmer than usual and the pasture has responded beautifully. Cows are now on grazing rotation, aiming plus 60 days before 2nd lap.
I am starting them off for overnight on grass at high density ( 150 hd on 1-2 ha) and then back to sacrificial paddock for roughage during day – just till rumen gets adjusted over coming days.
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Photo is of
high density vs low density (neighbour) last summer and plantain responding to late summer rain.
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Kate, the intention is to match the experience that Mark described earlier regarding utilisation, trampling and manure on stockpiled feed over the non growing season.
This is best achieved with the high density grazing, which is a combination of small area and frequent moves. The main difference between the growing season and non growing will be no need of a back fence in annual pastures. The perennial dominant pastures might need back fence though – depending on dormancy…
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Redmond, WA. Which is 20min out of Albany.
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That’s awesome Mark to hear someone else’s experience with ‘total grazing’. There wouldn’t be too many around these parts that have heard about it.
I haven’t yet done the course but am thinking about it. I am going into my first summer under this system and so far so good.
Everyone around me is cutting silage and now hay, which is early due to a shorter than normal spring. I still have growing pastures. Any rain now will fire up the perennials. The biggest shift has been time of calving. Majority of calving here occurs from feb-may. I have shifted to August, Sep with 6 week joining ( bulls went in yesterday). It’s all about matching demand with supply and livestock production per ha as opposed to kg per animal…
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Dormancy of our temperate grasses is important in our dry summers. Chicory and plantain no problem but the grasses will lose persistence if they are summer active. I have seen failed paddocks of summer active tall fescue and seen perennial rye act as a biannual ( persisted one summer) of course there will be exceptions – valley floors that hang on to moisture or irrigation country…
With regards to perennial establishment. Success is achieved when you are willing to accept lower production for 2 seasons. I have had the most success with conventional approach of chemical and cultivation and precision seeder and use of bio stimulant on the seed. Seeding in autumn not spring. Then it’s up to grazing management: high density-short duration with a focus on suppression of annuals at key times like late spring.
Perennials are pathetic seedlings so annual ryegrass is enemy number 1. I have been very deliberate not to sow ryegrass in any paddocks that I have ambitions to establish perennials.
